GOOD NEWS - 15th September
The latest partner to join the growing community hub at the Fleetwood Hospital building is Blackpool & Fylde College, opening purpose-built classrooms this week.
The new facilities and courses will be delivered by staff from the College's Seasiders Learning Centre, following the success of a similar model in Blackpool. The support will help transform the lives of adults be giving them the confidence and skills to progress to further education and employment without the physical and financial barrier of traveling away from Fleetwood.
Congratulations to all involved in this hugely positive partnership.
Already well-established at Fleetwood Hospital is The Pantry, the town's foodbank managed by Faith in the Community and an amazing team of volunteers.
Saturday 17th is 'Pantry Day', a chance to support their work by making a donation for distribution within the local community. We will be opening our Information Centre at Affinity Lancashire from 10am to 1pm on Saturday to take tins, jars, long-lasting food, even carrier bags. Cash donations will be used to buy more much-needed food and essential supplies.
Other venues, including Fleetwood Library and the Mens Shed 'Open Arms' shop, Adelaide Street, are also taking in donations and Codheads going to Fleetwood Town's League One game with Charlton Athletic at 3pm on Saturday afternoon can also support the collection for Pantry Day at Highbury Stadium.
We do talk about 'community hubs' a lot in these bulletins. The potential of Fleetwood Hospital and the vision of owners The Fleetwood Trust, offers something new and exciting although the Town already has many vibrant centres of activity ...
If you have access to Facebook, we recommend you follow these pages to keep up-to-date with news and events ... > Men's Shed Fleetwood > Larkholme Community Centre > Westview Community Centre Also see the online listing for What's On at Fleetwood Library Please keep sharing what you see!
And we are not forgetting the tremendous role that our churches play in the day-to-day life of our community. In a future edition of the Good News we will be focussing on the support and comfort available from Fleetwood's faith sector.
There's a new art for wellbeing group starting in the Fleetwood Market Studios, Adelaide Street on Thursday 29th September at 10am.
Sessions are FREE and you will be led by a local professional artist to learn new techniques while you meet and make friends in friendly, safe surroundings. A previous group created some fantastic work, exhibited at the Studios and also enjoyed a boost to their self-confidence.
If you are interested in joining this new art for wellbeing group, booking is essential - please email the Fleetwood social prescribers here.
Fleetwood's Social Prescribers also host a fortnightly bereavement group at the Health & Wellbeing Centre, Dock Street. Please use the email address above to contact them for more information on the group and other advice on local support.
Congratulations to everyone at The Bay: A Blueprint For Recovery who celebrated their first anniversary this week.
The Wyre-based team of Mike, Jane, Carol and Neil plus many volunteers have delivered a great programme of events using the local environment to support health and wellbeing ... guided-walks, talks, arts & crafts, eco-days and more ... always fun and educational. We look forward to the next year! For further info please see The Bay's website here.
Which leads us nicely into ... a FREE heritage event from The Bay and Oxford Archaeology at Fleetwood Museum on Saturday 17th September from 11am to 3pm.
You'll get hands-on with artifacts from the recent excavations around the A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Road, as well as learning their history, how they were recovered and the latest technology being used to record them. It's a drop-in event, so there's no need to book for this unique experience.
Coming up soon is one of the most popular events of the year, the Macmillan Cancer Support Biggest Coffee Morning - and you have a choice of venues!
On Friday 30th September we're hosting an event at our Wellbeing & Community Information Centre, Affinity Lancashire from 10.30am to at least 1pm. Grab yourself a coffee from one of the dining venues at Affinity then drop in to see us for fun & games, prize draws, loads of cakes and tasty treats! Harmony & Health will also be there for a feel-good sing-along.
If you live a little too far away from Affinity, you can also call into Broadway Medical Centre on the 30th to join in all the fun & fundraising at their Macmillan Coffee Morning from 11am.
Offers of raffle prizes and to bake cakes for either or both events are very welcome - please contact us at Healthier Fleetwood (see the foot of this bulletin for how to get in touch) or email olivia.hatcher2@nhs.net for the Broadway coffee morning.
There may be other Macmillan events in Fleetwood on the day too - our best wishes to all.
The Fleetwood Suicide Awareness Walk planned for last Friday was postponed - not an easy decision to make but completely understandable in the circumstances.
The organisers are planning to hold the walk on Monday 10th October, to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Day and a huge wellbeing event at Marine Hall. Finding The Feel Good in Fleetwood is about sharing the positives in the local community - support, voluntary groups and more. There will be many stalls to visit, talks, workshops and lots of fun too including a 'feel good' singalong with the wonderful Harmony & Health.
Health care professionals and group leaders are invited to get involved by taking a space on the day - please contact helen.bowler@wyre.gov.uk for information and bookings.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to another fantastic Healthier Fleetwood Open Meeting a couple of weeks ago.
Among the topics discussed was the new No. 75 bus route accessing the Esplanade and in particular Marine Hall, very much to the delight of the Harmony & Health singers who have been helping Blackpool Transport promote the expanded service.
We also heard news from The Wellbeing Way, Fleetwood In Bloom, Jars of Joy, Macmillan Cancer Support, HCH Wellbeing and many local residents and groups sharing their inspirational stories.
The next Open Meeting is on Wednesday 5th October, 6.30pm at Emmanuel Church at the Mount, you are all very welcome!
A quick reminder that we host the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic to our Information Centre, Affinity Lancashire tomorrow (Friday 16th) from 11am to 2pm and the Lancashire County Council Foster Care Team will be with us on Tuesday 20th September from 12 noon to 2pm. Call in for free advice from these friendly experts.
On Monday 19th September we will join with the nation to observe the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and our Information Centre will be closed.
We have been advised by Rick Clement from Fleetwood Town Community Trust and the Fylde Coast Veterans Community, that the Walk & Talk event on Monday will now be a short service for Queen Elizabeth II.
This will begin at the earlier time of 9.30am at Marine Hall, meeting point is the outdoor café seating area (the cafe will be closed). Two buglers will be attending and it will be a short service to allow members to leave and watch the main funeral service on TV from 11am. The Comrades Club will be open for those who want to watch the funeral there.
However you spend the next few days, we hope you can do so with your loved ones and your friends.
Until the next time ... take care.
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